Texas guard Brown says he didn't post offending tweet

Blame the social mediaTweet linked to Brown creates stir for UT team set to play Baylor

MIKE FINGER, AUSTIN BUREAU

Published 6:30 am, Friday, February 11, 2011

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Texas guard J'Covan Brown said a cousin posted offending tweets on his Twitter account after Wednesday's game against Oklahoma.

Texas guard J'Covan Brown said a cousin posted offending tweets on his Twitter account after Wednesday's game against Oklahoma.

Photo: AP

Texas guard Brown says he didn't post offending tweet

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AUSTIN — After nine blowout victories in a row, the Texas Longhorns were getting close to forgetting how to create a sense of drama.

Then the wonders of social media made them sweat the way the rest of the Big 12 hasn’t.

With the No. 3 Longhorns preparing for today’s home game against Baylor, UT sophomore guard J’Covan Brown said Friday he shut down his Twitter account after a profane comment complaining about a lack of playing time was posted under his name.

Brown said he did not write the comment, which he attributed to a cousin he declined to name. The post appeared on his page following UT’s victory at Oklahoma on Wednesday, when Brown shot 0-for-5 from the field and played just 16 minutes.

“I let a cousin I thought was close to me make a Twitter page,” Brown said. “I have to take responsibility for it.

“I’m sorry for everything. I learned my lesson. It was a tough lesson to learn.”

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For the Longhorns (21-3, 9-0 Big 12), Brown’s web-based saga, which became a talk-radio controversy Thursday, was the first dose of anything other than overwhelming positivity since they began their stampede through the conference last month.

But UT coach Rick Barnes, who said the team had a meeting Thursday in which the importance of being careful on social media sites was discussed, stopped short of banning his players from using Twitter.

Brown apologized to his teammates, but senior forward Gary Johnson said it was unnecessary.

“Obviously, it didn’t come from him,” Johnson said. “He’s the most unselfish player on the team.”

But Brown, who’s averaging nine points per game as UT’s sixth man this season, hasn’t been the best at portraying himself that way. Several times this season, TV cameras have caught him appearing to pout on or near the bench, and Brown admitted Friday his body language could stand to improve.

There’s nothing negative about UT’s performance in the Big 12, although that could be tested by the Bears (16-7, 6-4). Not only is Baylor coming off two of its most important victories of the season — close affairs at Texas A&M and at home against Nebraska — it will enter the Erwin Center on a four-game winning streak against UT.

Before that, the Longhorns had beaten the Bears 24 consecutive times, but the upper hand in the series changed last year.

“They’re going to come in here with house money,” Brown said. “They’ve beaten us four times in a row.”

Said Johnson: “They play us as well as they play anybody.”

Barnes said the Bears have UT’s attention, and the Longhorns have given no thought to the significance of staying unbeaten in the Big 12.